The Birth of the Labyrinth
by crazed-editor
Summary: A mother's story, guiding two souls to love.
1. The Birth of the Labyrinth

She finished the last page, placed the last period.

"Finally done, precious?" Jareth's silky voice sounded right behind her. She smiled wistfully at her computer screen, not facing the Goblin King.

"Yes." She said softly. "You'll fall in love, Jareth. All I can do is bless you with a beautiful woman." Jareth snorted.

"You're making a fantasy for a little girl to believe in. I'm supposed to love a foolish girl, grant her every wish, and wind up rejected?" His voice turned scornful. "You write me as a dim-witted idiot."

She sighed as she moved her mouse up to hit the save button. No use in tempting him to shut her computer off before she saved. He'd done that before, the brat.

"I've written you as the arrogant man who was bested by only one thing." She paused for dramatic effect. "True love."

"And true rejection." Jareth grumbled. She clicked on her computer's off button.

"Better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all." She responded with a mother's patience.

"Hmph." He snorted. She spun in her chair to see the Goblin King. He scowled at her, leaning against her doorway.

"You must love Sarah." She informed him, pushing herself off her chair. "And you must lose Sarah." She walked toward the doorway, pausing right next to him. "But if you give her up after only one attempt, well then." She continued to walk out of the room, only showing Jareth her back. "You deserve to be written as a dim-witted idiot."


	2. Death Is Coming

Jareth stood in the doorway, watching silently as a mother smiled down on her child. She glanced up only once at him before placed the child back into the crib. Backing slowly out of the room, she nodded her head at Jareth and then at the kitchen. He hit the lights before he followed the woman, shutting the door quietly.

"What do you want now?" Jareth asked abruptly. He didn't want to waste his time on this ridiculous family.

"I'm dying." The woman met his eyes calmly. "I hope you will follow the book, just as I wrote it." Jareth made sure his facial expression did not change. He could not allow it to change.

"Why should I?"

The woman sighed.

"Death is taking me because it is necessary to the story." She explained in her patient tone. His eyes widened slightly.

"Are you saying you wrote your own death, just for me to be rejected?" He tried to sound scornful, tried to make her feel stupid. It was stupid.

"Not to be rejected, Jareth." She sighed again. "I've known you for too long to be fooled. You won't give up after one try. You never do." Jareth shrugged carelessly. It didn't matter to him how many times he tried.

"Death is haunting you, precious, and it's because you decided to write it that way."

She smiled wistfully.

"If only I had that much power, Jareth. I do have a favor to ask of you, beyond the book." Jareth desperately wished he could say no, could reject this woman who guaranteed his fall. But he couldn't before, and he couldn't now.

"Of course, precious." He responded.

"Make her father allow her to read my book." She sighed, staring toward the bedroom. "I fear he will try to erase me from her life, if only to save her pain." Jareth's hands clenched into fists.

"She will read your book, and she will love it more than me." Jareth vowed. The woman turned to him, smiling widely.

"She will love it, but not for me. For you, Jareth." A cry went up from the bedroom. The woman began to walk towards the room. "Don't mourn me Jareth. I will be satisfied." He saw her head tilt slightly toward him. "I've done what every mother wants to do. I've guaranteed my daughter will become a strong woman." The cry increased in volume. "I'm coming, Sarah."

* * *

**I didn't expect for this to turn into a series, but it seems to be going that way... Oh well.**


	3. Watch and Wait

The wailing of a child competed with the priest's last words. Her tiny hands hid her green eyes as they tried to wipe away her tears. Jareth stood in the back row, his eyes echoing the child's pain. Her father rubbed the child's back, trying in vain to soothe her.

The coffin was lowered into the grave, the child falling to her knees. Her father picked her back up as he whispered calming words to her in a choked tone. She went limp in his arms, her sobs getting weaker with time. The man carried her down the aisle, trying to avoid everyone's eyes.

"Stop." Jareth demanded shortly. He scowled at the man, his gaze softening only slightly as it fell on the girl. The man froze, uncertainty flitting across his face before it was replaced with infinite sadness.

"What?" The man spoke in a dead tone, as though he didn't care anymore. Jareth stared at him for a moment before releasing him from his gaze.

"I have a gift for the child." Jareth spoke slowly, allowing his royal arrogance to color his tone. He couldn't allow this man to take this gift away from this child. Wouldn't allow it. He stroked the red leather with his thumb as he withdrew the book from a bag. Leaning down slightly, he extended the book forward.

"Your mother wrote it." He said shortly. The man stiffened, beginning to open his mouth to protest. Jareth just glared at him, and the man shut his mouth with a snap of his jaws. "Love it."

The child stared at the book without touching it. Her green eyes reflected the red of the leather bindings.

"Sarah." Jareth spoke again, softening his tone carefully. "Can you love this book like you love your mother?" He knew, beyond a doubt, that her mother didn't want her to love the book like she loved her mother, but to love it like she would him. Eventually. But she had to read the book.

The green eyes flicked up to him, and a small, wet hand wrapped itself around the leather. The book was brought to her chest and cradled like it was a precious thing.

"I'll read it to Lancelot." She whispered, her voice hoarse from the crying. "He'd like something to remember Mommy by."

The man made a low moan in the back on his throat, as though he was about to cry. Jareth, too, felt as though the dam in his throat would burst open. He schooled his expression into a neutral look. He nodded at the man, and then turned on his heel. He wanted so bad to wrap the little girl in his arms, to protect her from this world, but her mother didn't want that. She wanted her daughter to be strong, and he had to respect that. But he'd watch over her all the same. Never interfere until she asked, but he'd watch. Watch and wait.

* * *

Hey. I really didn't expect this story to keep going, but here we go. I'm on a roll. Yay me!

Thanks to nonwritten for her review. I appreciate it. And I'll keep smiling. Even if the story keeps getting depressing...


	4. Obeying the Whims

Jareth's scowl grew. Sarah had become dependent on her mother's story and it annoyed him to no end. Wasn't she supposed to be a strong person? It seemed like she was just another selfish human, same as any other.

Her mother thought that Sarah would grow up to be strong. Hoped, prayed, died for this idea that Sarah would be strong. Instead, Sarah can't even handle one little night of babysitting. Ridiculous.

Jareth fought back the urge to go and slap the girl until she was sorry that she was so selfish. That'd teach her. He watched as her father knocked on her door gently. That man didn't know how to punish a child, Jareth thought angrily. Instead he obliged her every whim. Jareth leaned back, staring blankly at the scene before him. And she loved him so desperately.

The man walked away from Sarah's door, going downstairs to his new wife. Jareth's mind continued to spin. What if he indulged her whims as well? Would she love him? Would he not be rejected by her? What if he could change the ending of her mother's book? Jareth pushed himself away from the branch, flying to his castle. He needed to instruct the goblins to watch her carefully tonight.

When she asked him, the Goblin King, using the words her mother wrote, he would obey her every whim. If she obeyed him, he would be her slave.

* * *

Sorry this got so short. It's a little different than everything else I've written.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

nonwritten-- I'm still smiling! Hope you are too!

Circe le Fey-- Thanks! The unique plot was the best compliment I've ever received!

Twilight's Mystery-- Well, here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoyed this one as much as the previous ones. Oh, and yes, thanks for boosting my reviews!


	5. Take Me Away

_His eyebrow twitched slightly as Sarah demanded the child back. What in the entire goblin world did that silly chit really want? She couldn't make up her bloody mind. Perhaps he offered the world… _

"_Look Sarah, look at what I'm offering you." He held his crystal out, staring at her intently. Her eyes were drawn to the image within. "I'm offering you your dreams." The green eyes flickered from the orb to him. _

"_No. Give me my brother back." A flash and he saw her mother, telling him she was going to die. Allowing him no alternative. A flash and he saw Sarah, forcing him to bend to her will. Such a selfish girl, so unlike her mother. Her mother had such strength. How dare she pretend to have the same?! _

_The crystal turned into a snake, and he flung it in her face, suddenly furious. _

"_You're no match for me, Sarah!" He snarled at her. _

Jareth suddenly woke up. She'd rejected him. She'd bested him. Worse than all that, she'd made him respect her. Her strength, her power, her mind. Why?

He moaned as he rolled out of his bed. "It's been more than a year. Why must I be unable to move on?" He growled to himself as he stalked towards his restroom. Glancing out the window, he saw that it was still night.

…_Goblin King…_

A soft whisper caressed his hair. He looked out over his kingdom.

…_Please, save me… _

He spun around his room, looking for the source of the whispers.

…_Take me away…_

"Where are you?" He demanded. No creature should be in his bedchambers at this time.

…_Please, Goblin King, take me away…_

The knowledge hit him like a sledgehammer. Sarah. Sarah was asking him to take her away.

Sarah!

* * *

Dramatic enough?

I know this doesn't explain alot, but I am hoping you will enjoy it anyway. Next chapter will be from her point of view, and it'll be long and take me a while to write. Please be patient.

Thanks to all my reviewers! I really appreciate it all! Thanks!

Oh, this is after the movie. You should have gotten that from the chapter though.

Cherrio!


End file.
